Biography
read full storyFlexing her nimble ow on Ward 21’s future bashment riddims, killing versions for Europe’s top club producers or wrecking live shows, Natalie Storm always keeps it swagged out. Since her 2007 debut single, the massive “Talk Di Ting Dem”, Natalie has kept red hot, bringing the world her powerful electro-ied garrison dancehall. Fresh off the release of her critically lauded mix album 'Songs 2 F@#k and Fight 2', Natalie’s inimitable lyricism bridges the dancehall and club music worlds.
'Songs 2 F@#k...' displays Natalie's remarkable vocal dexterity. She moves effortlessly between Dave Kelly era riddims, house, electro, and up-to-the-time UK Funky. Raised in Kingston, Natalie says she always gravitated towards the classic reggae 45 sound, “My particular taste is old school. I really love oldschool dancehall, that feeling, I always tell people me like the boof baff, there is a general feeling and mood and tone to that dancehall.” She has worked with the island’s most forward thinking producers including Ward 21, Jam 2, Seanizzle, and Cordell "Skatta" Burell.
For Natalie it was a natural transition to the club sound. She explains, “it’s like two different extremes, the type of dance hall I love is so layed back, and the beat is a little slower, and then you have this crazy vibe music. Club music was just something that was put in front of me and I fell in love with it.” After nishing four tracks for Enur’s Raggatronic album project offers started poring in from the likes of hip hop tastemaker Stretch Armstrong, New York's Dre Skull, The Netherland’s Munchi, The Heatwave in London, Germany’s So Shifty, and Parisian Douster. Her 2010 work with U.K. Funky producer Sticky “Look Pon Me” was a global hit, lighting sessions from Tokyo to Paris and getting video playlisted on MTV U.K.
While “Look Pon Me” went international, she’s rated just as heavy in Jamaica. Despite the popularity of her tracks in sessions from Tivoli to Trelawny, Natalie’s sultry slackness has gotten her tunes banned repeatedly from Jamaican radio. Her raw honesty and powerful vision has created a loyal and growing fan base hanging on her every word.
Natalie says she comes hard naturally, reminding her critics that, “I grew up in a lot of ghetto areas where people will try to take advantage of you if they see you left up on your own. You nd you just have to be very aggressive growing up in certain environments.” You can feel it in the hype energy Natalie brings to her live shows. The way she sees it her attitude is just ipping the script on sexist double standards and making way for “women take the power back from men and just sing about the same thing
that they are singing about.” Is she afraid her message is too political? Maybe for Jamaica, but she’s reaching farther then her conservative island home. “I don’t just want to be a dancehall star,” Natalie assures, ”I want to be a star, period. I am a rebel. I don’t like inequality.
That’s just me.”ccessfully auditioning for the Cathy Levy Players.
While in school, Natalie was approached by a producer seeking female singers for an all girl reggae group. After a few years as group leader and an album released by Toshiba-EMI label in Japan, Natalie decided in 2007 to pursue an alternative course. She left the group and began to record material with some of the top producers in Jamaica and across the globe. These include, Swash International, Prodigal Ent, Flabba (Mo’Music), Ward 21, Jam 2, Seanizzle, Cordell “Skatta” Burell, Wildlife(Switzerland), Max Glazer(NYC), Phlatline(Germany), Dre Skull (Mixpak Records), Toddla T(UK), and New York based Stretch Armstrong (who has produced for Nelly Furtado, Lil Kim and Wu tang Clan).
Her unique fashion flair and international sound combined with her hardcore dancehall flavour has immediately connected with fans locally and abroad looking for a new sound. From hardcore passa passa bashment tracks to global dance music, Natalie Storm delivers a variety of songs like no other. Her very first single on the Swash Intl. label titled “Talk Di Ting Dem” was a monster hit and later became one of the most popular slangs in the dancehall. The video for “Talk Di Ting Dem” was also huge and was constantly charted on HYPE TV’s VTX countdown. The dance music remix of her “Hot Love” single featuring Jigsy from Danger Zone Sound, is still being played at clubs all across Europe and North America to this day. Natalie’s more popular releases include “Anuh My Fault” on the Dem Gyal Sittn riddim, “Gal Fi Get Boo” on the Estrogen, and “Body Good” on the Creeper riddim. All received much love on radio and in the dancehall. Her biggest dancehall hit to date is “Back It Up” produced by Ward 21 on the Tear Up Jeans Riddim. The song became the girls dancing anthem in 2008 and continued it’s reign in 2009 when the video went to number one on RE TV’s MVP chart. The song earned her 2 nominations for Richie B’s EME awards and one nod for RE TV’s MVP award for 2009.
As well as her dancehall success, Natalie has appeared as the featured artiste on five tracks for Danish super group Enur’s Raggatronic album. Enur is the group whose international hit “Calabria” has swept pop charts all over the world selling well over a million units. Natalie toured with the group in 2008 and continue to represent for the album on various shows.
Natalie is never one to rest, since 2008 she embarked on a new musical project with gal pals and fellow artistes, Tifa and Timberlee. TNT (Tifa/Natalie/Timberlee), is the first female super group in the history of Jamaica. With the release of their critically acclaimed mix cd “3 the hard way”, they’ve captured the ears and attention of heavyweights the world over and have been featured in the Fader and XLR8 magazines and also performed at the Levi’s Jeans CMJ showcase in New York to rave reviews. They’ve been featured on RE TV’s infamous school tour in 2009 and have also traveled to Belize, New York and done countless performances in Jamaica as TNT including Sting 2008.
The work does not end there for Natalie however, as she decided to don the producer’s cap with her first production effort .“Cheez Trix Riddim” was released in late 2009 to much internet and street buzz. The riddim features artistes such as Natalie herself, Macka Diamond, Bugle, Charlie Black…She did a video for her single (“God Bless Me”) which made it’s way to HYPE TV’s VTX chart and is currently one of the most rotated video on local media outlets island wide, including TVJ, RE TV and HYPE TV. The video is also featured on the Fader’s website as well as a host of popular blog sites on the net.
Most recently, Natalie teamed up with Mixpak records and popular Uk producer Sticky, to release a monster single titled “Look Pon Me”. The song is also featured on the Jumeirah Riddim Ep which is available for sale on all popular music outlets such as Itunes, Juno and Amazon. The Jumeirah EP became the number 2 most downloaded dance music EP being sold on Juno in December 2009. A video is being readied for release in early 2010. Her self titled EP will be released on Mixpak Records in early 2010 and will be defined by the eclectic sound and style the world has come to admire and love from Natalie.
Natalie Storm is indeed taking the world by storm with her electric sounds and her first release for 2010 on the Prodigal Ent./Ward 21 Music label titled “Permanent Hiding” shows no signs of her slowing down.